Bill Hall?

Among a flurry of moves in Milwaukee today, the Brewers designated super utility player Bill Hallfor assignment. Assuming he clears waivers, the Reds should take a run and add Hall. He hit 35 homers in 2006 and was often a Reds killer (18 homers, 56 RBIs vs. CIN). His sharp decline over the past three years has been mysterious and he was down to just .201 this season.

Still, it’s a no-risk move since Milwaukee owes him about $11 million for the balance of this season, next season and a buyout of the 2011 option. The Reds could just pay him the minimum. They can plug him wherever they need him this season and then figure out what to do with him next year in the off-season. If it doesn’t work out, he wouldn’t cost them much.

Gonzalez missed a month to have elbow surgery and has batted .273 over the previous 16 games.

“He had it going on pretty good before he got hurt,” manager Dusty Baker said. “He was starting to get it. He went backwards and is going forward again. He’s staying off of bad pitches, getting good pitches to hit and is swinging the bat well.”

Gonzalez is in a contract year as the Reds hold a $6 million option for 2010 that carries a $500,000 buyout. Considering the financial constraints they’re facing, it’s dicey on whether it gets picked up. Gonzalez said he’s not thinking about what could happen in the off-season.

“Right now, it’s about helping the team win and trying to finish strong,” Gonzalez said. “I can’t think too much about that. We have two months left. It’s more important for me to finish strong and finish the season healthy. We will see after the season.”

Mired in a career-long 0-for-20 skid, C Ryan Hanigan is getting a break tonight and Craig Tatum is catching. Hanigan has batted .143 (8-for-56) in 15 starts since Ramon Hernandez went on the DL.

Chris Dickerson did make a base running mistake in the sixth inning when he ran with his head down and got into a rundown that led to Justin Lehr being thrown out at the plate. Dickerson has great speed but been prone to mistakes on the bases.

“It’s something you can teach but you don’t want to teach through trial and error,” Baker said about base running. “Last night, he was so excited to get back he was like a runaway child in the wild.”On a foul ball, he almost passed Lehr.”

Dickerson did not goof, like I wrote, when he was thrown out at third base in the first inning on Joey Votto’s fielder’s choice play. Third base coach Mark Berry instructed Dickerson to move off the bag to prevent Mark DeRosa to throw to second for what would have been a 5-4-3 double play. So, I learned something there.

Historical note from Elias: Lehr was the only the third pitcher since 1900 to earn a win while allowing zero or one run and at least 11 hits in six innings pitched or less. The other two were Cleveland’s Jack Kralick in 1965 and Baltimore’s Pat Rapp in 2000.

5 Comments

I like the Bill Hall idea, but what intrigues me is the demotion of J.J. Hardy, after the David Weathers trade George Grande made a comment that maybe he could be the player to be named later. Could he possibly have been using a crystal ball. Would certanly solve the shortstop problem.

I like the Bill Hall idea, but what intrigues me the most is the sending down of J.J. Hardy . After the trade of David Weathers, George Grande made a statement on t.v. that he could be the player to be named later. Could he possibly have been using a crystal ball.

No, no, no – the Reds should not make a run at Bill Hall. It’s not just that he’s been terrible the past two years, but through his entire career his OBP is only .312 – that is terrible! We have got to quit signing these guys who never walk and strike out all the time. Even if he was cheap, as you rightly point out he would be, he would not be worth taking up a roster space for a younger player who would undoubtedly be more productive.

NOT Hall.. but I would go after J.J. Hardy, and PRAY the Reds get rid of Jacoby and hire say Kevin Mitchell to be the batting coach (he helped Gomes during this past off-season).

Also Mr. Sheldon, this was said to the Brewers fans by their owner after today’s moves:
“Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio knows the fans weren’t happy, either. “It makes me and Doug feel we have to give 100% effort on our part to give those fans a winner,” he said. “We had 37,000 fans last night watching us get blasted by the Padres. Not to mention the people watching on TV, listening to the radio and following the game on their communicators. That’s not fun for anybody. Those fans deserve a better performance than that.””

The REDS fans deserve better!! at least the Brewers have been to the playoffs recently..its been since 1995 for a playoff series and almost 20 years sine the Reds have been to the World Series!!! If the Reds ownership wants to see fans come out like the Cardinals get, then put a WINNER on the field every year and the loyal fans will be there. Watching this team loose 9 years in a row and not make any serious attempt to do better with how they spend the money and get GOOD players (You dont waste 10 million on two Centerfielders Patterson and Taveras and then act like you cant afford better players!!), ALSO I am jealous the Cardinal fans get a good team that can win every year, get good players at the trading deadline each year, and the REDS cry poverty!! I wish Mark Cuban would buy the team, at least he would spend!!

Neither Gonzalez or Hardy is our solution for shortstop. Our solution or at least the cheapest fix is Brandon Phillips and call up a second basemen. quality second basemen are more common than quality shortstops by a long shot. What the Reds should do is go after Atlanta’s Kelly Johnson he has a career obs of .356. He is having an off year but I do believe his contract ends this year so we might be able to get him if we are willing to send something out of our farm system to Atlanta.
I totally agree with redsfan62. If Reds ownership isn’t going to spend the bucks sell the team to someone who will.

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